Progress in less (waste, stuff, doing)

Other Inspiring Challenges

After the Rubbish Diet Challenge, I’m keeping my eyes open for something new. Here is a totally not-exhaustive list of some of the more fun challenges I came across on the internet.

Less Stuff

The Packing PartyFrom: the Minimalists.com, part of the 21-day journey into minimalism
This one is probably the most effective of all the declutter challenges I listed here. The official challenge is to give yourself 1 day to pack all your stuff into boxes. Cover large items you can’t box up with sheets. Now, for the next 7 days, if you really need something, unpack it. After those 7 days, everything that is still packed you can trash, sell, or donate. Of course all kinds of variations are possible. You could do one room at a time, or give yourself more time in the unpacking phase.

Less Clothes

Six Items or Less
Choose six items of clothing and wear only these for one month, not counting undergarments, swim wear, work-out clothes, work uniforms, outer wear, shoes and accessories.

Project 333From Be More With Less
This challenge is a lot like the previous one, with slightly different rules. Pick 33 items, including clothing, accesories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes, and stick to those for the next 3 months. Again some exemptions: underwear, sleep wear, workout clothing, and the wedding ring.

The One-Year Wardrobe ProjectFrom Get Rich Slowly
Following the same principle as the Packing Party: move all your clothes to a spare room. Whenever you need something, and it is not in your closet, get it from the spare room. Once you wore something once, it can stay in the main clothes closet. After one year, get rid of the clothes you haven’t worn.
Don’t have a spare room? You can also hang all your clothes with the hangers backwards. Once you used the item, hang it up with the hanger the right way. After a year, you can see exactly what you have worn, and what can go.

Less Buying

The Great American Apparel Diet
Do not buy any new clothes for a year. Exemptions: underwear, shoes, accessories, gifts, and of course: second-hand clothes, and making your own clothes.services, charity, plants, art supplies, (legal) digital books and music.

Less Chemicals

No-Poo ChallengeFrom Feeling Feminine, via The Thrifty Mama
For at least two weeks, go without shampoo or conditioner. You can just wash your hair with water (hot, and close off with cold), but there are also other alternatives for washing, such as baking soda and vinegar.
I have been trying for a couple of weeks with apple vinegar, which worked great, but I don’t like the smell. You do wash it out, but while in the shower, it is not really nice. So at the moment I switched to the water-only method.
On a related note, you could also try to replace other personal care products with natural ingredients. For example, think about your deodorant, shaving cream, other creams, facial masks, scrubs, hair masks. Google can point you to a lot of fun recipes to try.

Show Your Plastic TrashFrom My Plastic-Free Life
Collect all of your own plastic waste for a week. The first week, live normally, so you can see your starting point. Take a photo and list out the items. Fill in the online form where you can ask the community for tips, but also think about what you could easily replace with plastic-free alternatives, what items you could give up, and what items are problematic. Then go for the next week; continue for as long as you like. It is an ongoing challenge.

Doing Less

The Four-Day Week Challenge
From: A List Apart
Work four days a week instead of five. You’ll probably end up more focused, more efficient, more creative, more relaxed, and more connected to the important people in your life.

Health

30 Sugar Free DaysFrom OlsonND
Eat only low glycemic index foods for 30 days: no sugar, no grains, no starchy vegetables or high glycemic index fruits such as bananas. What you can eat: most veg, fruits, protein. The website has a link to a pdf which contains a more explanation, and a detailed list of good and bad foods.

Misc

YES! No Impact WeekFrom YES! Magazine
“Challenges you to live a radically greener and more connected lifestyle–for just one week.” Each day has a different focus: consumption, trash, transportation, food, energy, water, giving back, eco-sabbath.

Create a New Habit in 30 DaysFrom: The Power of Less
Pick only one habit to focus on. Start small: just 10 minutes a day. Commit publicly. Write out exactly what habit you will be forming, when you will do it, any rewards, and how you will overcome obstacles. Tie the new habit to something you already do consistently every day. Be as consistent as possible. Report your progress every day. Give yourself rewards each week, and stay positive. (Accompanying PDF)